Saints' Kellen Moore Praises Tyler Shough's Rookie Season

Head coach calls quarterback's first year a 'great journey' despite 6-11 record.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 9:03am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a quarterback dropping back to pass, with sharp, overlapping planes of navy, green, and orange conveying the dynamic movement and energy of the play.The Saints' young quarterback Tyler Shough showed promise in his rookie season, setting the team up for a potential return to the playoffs.New Orleans Today

New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore praised rookie quarterback Tyler Shough's performance in the 2025 season, saying his first year was a 'great journey' despite the team's 6-11 record. Moore noted Shough's improvement over the course of the season, particularly in his poise in the pocket and decision-making, and believes he will be even better this year with a full offseason as the team's starting QB.

Why it matters

The Saints are hoping Shough can be their long-term answer at quarterback after struggling to find stability at the position since the retirement of Drew Brees. If Shough can continue to develop, it could help the team return to the playoffs for the first time in several years.

The details

The Saints started the 2025 season 1-7 with Spencer Rattler at quarterback, but went 5-4 once Shough took over as the starter. Moore said Shough immediately shifted his mindset to being the best scout team quarterback, which helped him improve throughout the year. The coach praised Shough's poise in the pocket and decision-making, and believes he will benefit greatly from getting all the first-team reps in the offseason.

  • The Saints started the 2025 season 1-7 with Spencer Rattler at quarterback.
  • The Saints went 5-4 once Tyler Shough took over as the starting quarterback.

The players

Kellen Moore

The head coach of the New Orleans Saints, who is entering his second season with the team.

Tyler Shough

The Saints' rookie quarterback in 2025 who took over as the starter midway through the season and helped the team improve its record.

Spencer Rattler

The quarterback who started the first 8 games of the 2025 season for the Saints before being replaced by Shough.

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What they’re saying

“'It turned into a great journey for him through the entire season'”

— Kellen Moore, Head Coach, New Orleans Saints

“'I'm gonna be the best scout team quarterback in the league. I'm gonna get to test myself, I'm gonna make throws and see if I can make this throw in this situation, do it on the field'”

— Tyler Shough

What’s next

This year Moore thinks Shough will be better still, thanks to a full offseason, training camp and preseason of working with the No. 1 offense. 'His reps with the core group, he's not going to be rotating with the rest of the quarterbacks, he's going to be with the top group and getting a lot of reps with those guys before the start of the season,' Moore said.

The takeaway

The Saints are hoping Shough's development in his rookie season, combined with a full offseason as the team's starting quarterback, will help him take a big step forward and lead the team back to the playoffs for the first time since the Drew Brees era.